The Fat-like cadherin CDH-4 controls axon fasciculation, cell migration and hypodermis and pharynx development in Caenorhabditis elegans |
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Authors: | Schmitz Caroline Wacker Irene Hutter Harald |
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Institution: | a Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, Jahnstr. 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany b Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6 |
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Abstract: | Cadherins are one of the major families of adhesion molecules with diverse functions during embryonic development. Fat-like cadherins form an evolutionarily conserved subgroup characterized by an unusually large number of cadherin repeats in the extracellular domain. Here we describe the role of the Fat-like cadherin CDH-4 in Caenorhabditis elegans development. Cdh-4 mutants are characterized by hypodermal defects leading to incompletely penetrant embryonic or larval lethality with variable morphogenetic defects. Independently of the morphogenetic defects cdh-4 mutant animals also exhibit fasciculation defects in the ventral and dorsal cord, the major longitudinal axon tracts, as well as migration defects of the Q neuroblasts. In addition CDH-4 is essential for establishing and maintaining the attachment between the buccal cavity and the pharynx. Cdh-4 is expressed widely in most affected cells and tissues during embryogenesis suggesting that CDH-4 functions to ensure that proper cell contacts are made and maintained during development. |
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Keywords: | Cadherin Development Neuron Pharynx Hypodermis Morphogenesis Axon guidance Ventral cord Cell adhesion Cell polarity |
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